Franklin men's tennis coach Ryan Hammer has generally liked to carry a larger number of players on his roster, in part so that when graduation opens some spots in the lineup, he has some more seasoned players ready to fill them.

This year is lining up according to plan.

Despite losing five starters from last year's squad, the Grizzlies are bringing an upperclass-loaded lineup back into this spring season, with all of the "new" players slotting into vacancies either juniors or seniors.

Big roster turnover, graduated five starters ... lots of kids returning but new to lineup

"They're all experienced guys," Hammer said, "guys we're comfortable with that have been through our program a couple of years and just have been working, waiting for their time to shine, so now they get that."

The three Grizzlies at the top of the lineup this spring have been starters their entire careers, but primarily at the bottom. Sophomore Clark Hersam was 10-6 as a freshman playing across the No. 4 through No. 6 singles spots; he spent the fall playing at No. 1. Likewise, junior Marcus Cox was an 11-win player in those back three spots as a freshman before playing primarily at third singles a year ago; he has since moved into the second spot. Junior Jaden Wells tied Hersam for the team lead with 10 wins in 2024-25 while playing at the back of the lineup, but he was at No. 3 during the fall matches.

The early returns were promising, as both Hersam and Wells picked up back-to-back HCAC Player of the Week honors in early October.

"We've had a really deep team the last couple of years, and our strength has been at the four through six spots in singles and our doubles," Hammer said.

The fourth through six spots, as well as some doubles positions, are likely to be filled by more veterans of the program — including senior Brian Vennemann, who was in the starting lineup his freshman year, and juniors Luke Morris, Raymond Richard and Avram Rund. 

Junior Brendan Hanner, another player with past match experience, is also back on the court this spring after missing the fall and part of his sophomore spring due to injury. Hanner was 5-2 in his limited action a year ago and 4-2 at sixth singles during his freshman year, and he should be in that lineup mix as well.

Franklin went 3-3 in its six dual matches during the fall, giving the players a chance to get acclimated to their new roles in the lineup before the conference season arrived. 

"Brian had a good fall," Hammer said. "Ray played a lot of close matches, lost a couple of close ones, won a couple of close ones, so I think some of that experience they got in the fall will pay off for us this spring."

Adding another layer of familiarity is the fact that two of last spring's top graduating seniors, Lucas Densford and Nathan Jarboe, are still with the Grizzlies as assistant coaches. Hammer appreciates that the two can bridge the gap between player and coach, having recently been in the former position, and provide a valuable sounding board in both directions.

The Grizzlies were picked sixth in the HCAC's preseason coaches poll — a projection that Hammer found fair, but one he thinks the team is capable of outpacing.

"We're picked pretty much we finished last year," he said, "so we've got to go out and prove that we're better than that."

If nothing else, inexperience will not be an obstacle.